Chapter 23: Men All Like Slim Waists

Cui Yun narrowed his eyes indifferently. He didn't stretch out his hand to accept it.

"This is..."

He paused.

"A reward?"

Shen Hua nodded reservedly at him.

Indeed, it was novel.

However, it was far more sensible than the Third Princess Ji Shiyue, who was always chasing after Cui Yun.

Ji Shiyue was the daughter of Emperor He, her mother being Princess Consort Jing.

Cui Yun didn't want the entire Marquis Yangling Mansion to be embroiled in factional disputes. Likewise, he did not want to offend the Crown Prince or the Fourth Prince.

Yet Ji Shiyue, relying on her status, frequently visited the Marquis Yangling Mansion.

She couldn't be driven away.

Emperor He cherished her, and had intended to decree a marriage back then.

If not, he wouldn't have allowed the Third Princess to approach him, causing gossip.

Even for the Qixi Festival Lantern Fair, Emperor He specifically appointed Cui Yun to accompany her. The Emperor's intentions were clear.

All of Quansheng thought Cui Yun would become the Third Prince Consort.

In those days, enemy forces invaded, Shan City was breached. Chi City was in great danger.

Shan City was the first line of defense at the border.

The enemy forces seemed well-prepared. Bows and arrows, siege cones, grappling hooks, and siege ladders all pressed forward step by step.

Meanwhile, Shan City's Deputy General had already been bribed by them. With internal collusion, the city gates quickly fell.

General Jin, stationed in Shan City, saw the unfavorable situation and hurriedly requested reinforcements from Chi City.

Upon hearing the news, the commander of Chi City, Marquis Yangling, led half of Chi City's forces to fight without a second thought.

Cui Bai stayed in Chi City, evacuating the civilians and urgently requesting aid over 800 li.

After a fierce battle, General Jin was beheaded, and the enemy's morale was boosted.

But our army refused to yield an inch, shedding blood on the road.

The Third Prince Ji Teng was also sent as a hostage early on.

Now, though the two men of the Marquis Yangling Mansion had protected the city, they both perished.

The court was greatly weakened and feared another invasion by the barbarian bandits, thus resorted to peace negotiations, sending box after box of gold and silver items.

Thus, after the Chi City incident, the marriage decree became another commendation imperial edict.

Marquis Yangling was posthumously granted land and a title, Princely Heir Cui Bai was posthumously titled Huaihua Middle Lang General. Cui Rong was titled Commandery Princess, and Cui Yun inherited the title.

During the period of mourning, Cui Yun remained behind closed doors.

When his three-year mourning period ended, Ji Shiyue still lingered like a ghost. She even cornered him, from initially expressing tender feelings to eventually resorting to threats and inducements.

"Cui Yun, don't be ungrateful. The Marquis Yangling Mansion is already in decline. Fate controls everything, barely allowing personal influence. Being able to marry a princess would be an immense honor."

Cui Yun patiently endured and laid his plans.

In the same year, the Crown Prince of Man Kingdom came visiting. Emperor He detested him but had to greet him with a smile, even proposing a marriage alliance.

Ji Shiyue was his beloved daughter, and naturally, Emperor He was unwilling to send her off for a political marriage.

Yet, Cui Yun covertly altered Ji Shiyue's portrait by enhancing her beauty by fifty percent before delivering it to the Crown Prince of Man Kingdom.

Everything went smoothly.

Finally, he could enjoy peace and quiet.

As for how Ji Shiyue would fare in Man Kingdom, what did it matter to him, the useless and fallen Young Marquis of the Marquis Yangling Mansion?

Shen Hua's hand hung in mid-air, already tired from holding it. Just then, Cui Yun moved.

Under Ji Ge's incredulous gaze, he accepted the silver note.

Shen Hua breathed a sigh of relief.

Cui Yun... did too.

Only Ji Ge let out a cold snort with ill intent: "You, this girl, are really unreasonable. Why does he have it, but I don't? He isn't someone who's short of silver, while I was just worrying about needing to spend a fortune at the brothel later."

Shen Hua shrank into a corner, blinked, and asked one word at a time: "Prostitute?"

"Does Benefactor also want to see the prostitute?"

Ji Ge loved to tarnish Cui Yun's reputation: "Indeed. He is actually the most indecent one."

Cui Yun didn't bother to argue. He simply idly played with the crimson and translucent Vajra Bodhi Bracelet on his wrist.

Yet, despite this, his posture was upright and solemn, every move was filled with the elegance of a noble family.

Shen Hua believed it and thus fulfilled the host's duties: "Miss Sheng'er at the brothel plays the qin best, and she has a unique skill in mimicry, capable of imitating the sounds of all things."

Ji Ge became interested.

Seeing that Shen Hua wasn't a clinging sort, Cui Yun parted his thin lips, his voice pleasant: "It's my first time in Fengzhou. If you truly have the intention, why not tell me about Fengzhou's specialties?"

Thus, he wouldn't need to send someone to inquire.

Shen Hua answered without hesitation: "Fengzhou has many delicacies, among which the Golden Milk Cake is most famous. However, the locals of Fengzhou love the Cream Lamp Fragrant Crisp on Hewu Street, as well as the bean paste Transparent Flower Pastry from this shop."

They are not easy to preserve. Moreover, they're hard to bring back to Shengjing.

Cui Yun thus said no more. Seeing he was not inclined to converse, Shen Hua also fell quiet.

Fortunately, the Shen Residence wasn't far from the pharmacy.

As soon as they got off the carriage, Zheng Qianyu whispered anxiously into Shen Hua's ear: "We've traveled with them all the way, so why are we going to see the prostitute?"

Ji Qing had inquired about the location of the Shen Residence before coming, and considering them as outsiders, Shen Hua hadn't specified the street name when giving directions earlier.

As they traveled along, the familiar place names carved at the intersections inexorably drew Ji Qing into a sense of intriguing fate.

Hence, he wasn't in a hurry to speed up.

Cui Yun glanced at the imposing and wealthy residence before him, the plaque prominently featuring the golden words "Shen Residence."

He had good hearing, and the conversation between the two girls reached his ears clearly.

Shen Hua ascended the stairs, lowering her voice as well: "Men all like slender waists and round hips. You don't have that."

As if confirming Cui Yun's suspicion, he overheard a blue-clad woman exclaim teasingly.

"Shen Hua! Aren't you shameless?"

Cui Yun frowned: Shen... Hua...

Zheng Qianyu: "How could you boost others' morale while undermining your own confidence?"

"I didn't."

Shen Hua had been careful in her words earlier, only implying that Zheng Qianyu lacked it.

Zheng Qianyu laughed in anger; she glanced at Shen Hua's chest: ??? Are you not embarrassed by your flatness?

Noticing the disdain in the other's eyes, Shen Hua remained expressionless.

"I'm only fourteen now. My menarche hasn't arrived yet."

In her previous life, after her menarche, her figure developed gracefully, her appearance matured, shedding the immaturity, becoming charming and lovely.

Realizing her gaze, Shen Hua stubbornly lifted her chin.

"I'll be big here."

Zheng Qianyu scoffed at this: Hehe. Go on with your boasting.

"I'm too lazy to waste words with you. Since you aren't dying, I'm heading back."

Shen Hua waved the herbs she was holding: "Oh."

Cui Yun frequently read saintly books and kept no concubines at home. Even when his elder brother was still alive, he indulged in no feminine allure despite his wild ways.

Over the years, many girls had approached him, but none as bold and foul-mouthed as Shen Hua.

Even if those words weren't directed at him by Shen Hua, he heard every word distinctly, as if the girl whispered gently in his ear.

His breath hitched, and inadvertently, he poked a hole in the silver note.

Seeing this, Ji Ge took it with a pained heart, staring sorrowfully at the hole.

"500 taels, you spendthrift!"

Cui Yun closed his eyes briefly, lowered the carriage curtain: "To the inn."

Ji Qing: "Yes."

Not wanting to return to the inn together, Ji Ge lazily instructed, alighted from the carriage to stroll around, and conveniently went to see the prostitute Shen Hua mentioned.

"By the way, didn't you come here to find someone?"

Cui Yun exhaled a long breath: "I found them already."

Ji Ge: Are you treating me as a fool who would believe that?